do you always have insulation under the hammock?

[olddog]

Only hike during the fall, winter and spring down here. So always have something available. Even my fulltime hammock has insulation.

[slowdown]

Been doing some Florida "summer hiking." This has been the subject of a lot of discussion. The best analogy I've heard is consider what you do in your own home. At what point on your thermostat do you pull the sheets up at night? Most folks tend to be fine until they get into the low 70's. For me, if the nightime lows are above 75 i don't need anything. 75 - 65 a fleece blanket under me. Below that a pad or UQ

[Roadrunnr72]

As an Asst Scout Master, "Be Prepared". Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

[hodad]

i can go down to 70 with a polar fleece sleeping bag. UQ < 70.

[Karl]

Didn't bring or need any in the jungles of Borneo. But then it was never below 25°C (that's about 77F for you colonials out there).
Otherwise I always bring and almost always need under insulation.

[kwchannell89]

After reading this thread and noticing the weather going to be in low 60s maybe upper 50s. I'm pack my sleeping pad for this weekend's trip. I originally planned to ditch the pad, but now I'm having second thoughts. I think I'll pack it to ensure a warm night of sleeping.

Edit: I still only plan to take a fleece blanket, base layer, and my Marmot jacket to sleep in since I do not have a summer bag.

[FLRider]

After reading this thread and noticing the weather going to be in low 60s maybe upper 50s. I'm pack my sleeping pad for this weekend's trip. I originally planned to ditch the pad, but now I'm having second thoughts. I think I'll pack it to ensure a warm night of sleeping.

Edit: I still only plan to take a fleece blanket, base layer, and my Marmot jacket to sleep in since I do not have a summer bag.

You should be okay with the pad and that for top insulation. However, if the weather report is off by ten degrees (which happens, and is what I plan for) in the cooler direction, you may have a cold night.

I'd be a little chilly in the low-fifties/high-forties with just a baselayer, a fleece, and a jacket, and I'm a pretty warm sleeper. Just an heads-up. If you're really tied into that, see if you can use your tarp as a windbreak; the fleece will perform much better if it isn't being hit by the wind.

[slowdown]

for me anything below 70 i use it, but i always bring it. just the other nite we hit 60 at nite with 90 degree days.

Just came back from a hang in North Alabama. Expecting mid 60s at night and we had a fluke 55 degrees in the middle of August in the South! Doesn't sound like much but when you're hanging that can be awful. Just ask the five guys I was out there with. Fortunately all had pads or a fleece but all were chilled on top. 75 degrees is my min before insulation but as Kayakkarl said and I echo, always bring something.

[kwchannell89]

You should be okay with the pad and that for top insulation. However, if the weather report is off by ten degrees (which happens, and is what I plan for) in the cooler direction, you may have a cold night.

I'd be a little chilly in the low-fifties/high-forties with just a baselayer, a fleece, and a jacket, and I'm a pretty warm sleeper. Just an heads-up. If you're really tied into that, see if you can use your tarp as a windbreak; the fleece will perform much better if it isn't being hit by the wind.

That the thing, I just got out of college so I haven't been able to buy a lot of gears I like to have. . I only have a 15 degree Mountain Hardwear Ultra Lamina sleeping bag. The Ultra Lamina is quarter zipped only, so I cannot unzipped it to my feet for venting in case I get too hot. So I'll either be very hot in the sleeping bag or potentially be cold with just base layer and fleece blanket. I cannot predict the wind. Our campsite is at 3,000 feet give or take and we're starting at 6,600.

[FLRider]

That the thing, I just got out of college so I haven't been able to buy a lot of gears I like to have. . I only have a 15 degree Mountain Hardwear Ultra Lamina sleeping bag. The Ultra Lamina is quarter zipped only, so I cannot unzipped it to my feet for venting in case I get too hot. So I'll either be very hot in the sleeping bag or potentially be cold with just base layer and fleece blanket. I cannot predict the wind. Our campsite is at 3,000 feet give or take and we're starting at 6,600.

I know this is probably a silly question, but can you sleep under both layers of the sleeping bag? That way, you could stick a leg or an arm out for venting.

Or, if you have an extra $30, see if you can score yourself a poncho liner. They're good down to about 45 F for most folks and aren't terribly heavy (22 oz is the usual quoted spec).

If not, WallyWorld sells a 40" x 60" fleece throw (about 100 wt) for $3 that works tolerably well to boost the temp rating of a top quilt. I used one last "winter" down here (as low as 21 F) to supplement my poncho liner, and it worked pretty well; I got probably an extra five to ten degrees of warmth out of it.

Anyway, just a couple of ideas.